Thursday, April 3, 2014

BHABANI MUNDA - PASSION AND PERSEVERANCE

Indeed, if I come across a woman who wishes to play Football professionally, I will be stunned. Then if she highlights, selling tea and rotis are going to buy her that golden dream, I will be flabbergasted. Nonetheless, watching a beautiful video on Dooars XI, a football team run by tea selling girls made me realize no dreams are big enough not to see the face of reality; all that requires is passion and craving to dream. When the team of Half Stories (Initiate by Tata Capital) accidentally bumped in to these super excited bunch of passionate women, I am sure they are thrilled by their spirits as well. Even I got goosebumps just reading it; I wonder how the team had reacted. Be it wearing an old jersey or brother's shoes, nothing has kept these girls out of the reach of a new direction, new destiny which they have braided carefully, with the help of Bhabani Munda, their coach, their hope, and definitely, their true inspiration.




Bhabani Munda, who hit the ball first when 7, still continues to play with the same enthusiasm. It is obvious to any Indian women especially born and brought up in villages, how difficult it is to play the game titled only for men. We have all sympathized, Parminder Nagra a.ka. Jess in Bend it like Beckham for not being allowed to play football in spite of having grown in a country like the United Kingdom. That is exactly how our society is, culling the dreams of women in the name of marriage, rituals, superstition, and most importantly, as a curse to their womanhood. So, it gives me a proud moment, when I come across women like Bhabani Munda, who cutting down the odds, stand up with a team of women to fight the society and its chaos emerging as a winner. 



From an outsider, we appreciate her but how far can we submerge ourselves in understanding their pain and trouble? Was it easy for them to stand up in a society ruled, lived, and dragged by men? Bhabani Munda, was never allowed to play by her family fearing the society and their own self. But she broke out of it, built her own four walls and started living with the team girls, I am sure, are her true family now. Selling tea might be their occupation for food and football, but their journey has only begun. When the entire society, torn clothes, tattered shoes did not stop them, then they are never going to stop. The journey of Half Stories has touched my heart and I pray sincerely, that the story completes in a propitious way. And, the exuberant girls reach new realms of success because they truly deserve it!!!


Please contribute so that we can help them buy shoes, football, socks and their own jersey, as they possess the rest. http://doright.in/category/kalchini/

You can also meet Bhabani Mudra here,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH8yxfsTzDg

Kudos!!!

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